Eight southeast Michigan counties meet federal ozone standard

LANSING, Michigan -- The state Department of Environmental Quality announced yesterday that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has redesignated eight southeast Michigan counties as meeting the federal ground-level ozone standard for air quality.

The counties now meeting the standard are Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw and Wayne.

The state DEQ has been working with the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) on permanent air improvements, as well as helping to prepare the necessary documentation to show compliance with the Clean Air Act elements that allow for the re-designation. The partners also worked to develop a maintenance plan to ensure that ozone levels remain low.

The re-designation could also allow the region to develop new industry since federal requirements are tougher for industries in non-attainment areas. Building or expanding facilities is also more difficult in areas not meeting air quality standards.

However, the re-designation was based on ozone monitoring from 2006-2008, which had to meet ozone standards set in 1997. It's uncertain yet whether all the counties will meet the new stricter ozone standards set last year.